Desolate and Empty

Desolate

Desolate adjective - Left unoccupied or unused.
Usage example: a desolate mining town that had its brief heyday more than a century ago

Empty is a synonym for desolate in unused topic. In some cases you can use "Empty" instead the word "Desolate" as an adjective or a verb, when it comes to topics like depopulate.

Nearby Words: desolation, desolately, desolated

Empty

Empty adjective - Lacking contents that could or should be present.

Desolate is a synonym for empty in bare topic. You can use "Desolate" instead an adjective "Empty", if it concerns topics such as vacant, containing nothing.

Nearby Words: emptiness, emptying, emptily

Both words in one sentence

Cite this Source
Empty and Desolate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/empty
Desolate & Empty. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/empty>.
Empty or Desolate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/desolate/empty.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "desolate" and "empty" have occurred on timeline